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Turn apple juice into tangy, small-batch vinegar with a simple two-stage fermentation.
30 min prepMedium32 servings
Ingredients
1 packet wine yeast, used according to its package directions
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Method
1
Wash and sanitize a fermentation vessel, airlock, and utensils.
2
Pour in the apple juice, add the wine yeast, and fit the vessel with an airlock.
3
Let it ferment at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, until bubbling stops and the liquid has finished fermenting; this usually takes 1–3 weeks.
4
For best results, confirm with a hydrometer that the gravity is stable over several days.
5
Transfer the fermented cider into a clean, wide-mouth glass or food-grade vessel, leaving sediment behind, and stir in the unpasteurized vinegar.
6
Cover the opening with clean, tightly woven cloth secured with a band; do not seal it, because vinegar fermentation needs oxygen.
7
Keep it at room temperature, away from sunlight, for about 4–8 weeks.
8
Taste periodically with a clean utensil; when it smells sharply vinegary and tastes pleasantly sour, strain or bottle it.
9
If mold appears, discard the batch.
10
Homemade vinegar’s acidity is not guaranteed, so use it for seasoning rather than canning or pickling foods for shelf-stable storage.